


Charm

by daimonas



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Spell Teaching, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 15:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17789597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daimonas/pseuds/daimonas
Summary: Caleb asks Fjord to teach him one of his spells. In a battle of wits during their training, Fjord tries using his charm to distract Caleb, only to have it backfire.Written for 2019 Widofjord Valentine’s Exchange!





	Charm

“So, like… How much longer are you two going to go at this?”

Jester’s voice breaks the silence that stretches thick between the two men. The previous day, Caleb had asked Fjord about a spell he had used recently – one that had held the target in place long enough that the party could surround him and take him hostage without issue. Fjord, being the gentleman he was, had not only explained the spell but offered to  _ teach  _ it to Caleb. After some hesitation (Caleb? Alone? With  _ Fjord? _ ), Caleb had agreed to the training session. So they had woken at dawn, gone to a small field outside of the inn they were staying in, and had gotten to work. Now, hours later, they both stood panting, sweaty, and exhausted from their endless battle of wits.

“It’ll be just a minute, Jester,” Fjord answers between heavy breaths. They had just finished a round of the spell – Caleb trying to force his way into Fjord’s mind to hold him in place while Fjord fought back against the hold. Fjord had inevitably won in the end, forcing Caleb out of his mind with a final push of his mental strength. He was wearing down, however, and Caleb was sure he’d be able to win their battle soon. It was just a matter of finding the right moment and pushing through his own exhaustion.

“But it’s  _ Valentine’s Day _ , Fjord,” Jester complains, the slightest hint of a whine in her voice. It was obvious by the tone of her voice and adamant foot-tapping that she had something planned once they entered the building.

“Give us twenty more minutes, please. I think that I am getting the hang of this spell,” Caleb chimes in, finally moving his eyes over to his blue companion. 

Jester rolls her eyes before responding, “ _ Fine.  _ But don’t complain to me when you have to eat cold food. We are all hungry and are going to eat without you.”

She doesn’t wait for an answer before twisting on her heel and marching her way back inside. Caleb watches her go for a moment before turning his gaze back to Fjord. Fjord’s eyes haven’t left Caleb and Caleb… tries his best not to notice. He fails, however, and has to swallow the sudden nerves rising in his chest at the realization.

“Everything alright, Caleb?” Fjord asks, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“ _ Ja, _ ” Caleb answers too quickly. He feels his face flush slightly, but he shakes his head, distracting from the discoloration. 

Fjord –  _ bless him  _ – doesn’t comment on how flustered Caleb suddenly seems to be. Instead, he moves back into position. He centers himself around fifteen feet in front of Caleb, his legs standing shoulder-width apart and slightly bent to brace himself against the impact of the spell. He cocks an eyebrow, the teasing smirk on his face spreading into an all-out smile. “One more time?”

Caleb feels his heart flutter in his chest. If he didn’t know Fjord so well, he’d assume that the larger man was  _ flirting  _ with him. But that’s.. not right. Is it? It couldn’t be. 

“One more time,” Caleb replies, his voice coming out surprisingly more steady than what he actually felt.

The only indication he gives to the spell being cast is a slight narrow to his eyes as he extends his mind forward. It takes a few seconds, but he eventually feels the hard wall of Fjord’s consciousness against his own, resisting the spell. Caleb instinctively sucks in a breath – surprised, once again, by the strength of Fjord’s mind. Fjord’s smile falters for a moment when their minds meet, but once he realizes he’s still able to resist, it’s back in place – cocky, confident, self-assured. The smile grates against Caleb’s pride, but only works to motivate him more. He presses harder against Fjord’s mind, trying to find any sort of crack in his thoughts for his spell to get through and take hold.

“’Seem to be struggling there, Caleb,” Fjord teases as he takes a step forward. Caleb feels his focus falter for a moment, his gaze dropping to the advancing half-orc’s feet before flashing back up to his face. He narrows his eyes once again and pushes his mind forward, searching again for the crack in Fjord’s defenses. Fjord is still advancing forward, however, and the closer he gets, the harder it is for Caleb to focus. When Fjord speaks again, his voice is pitched lower – almost.. sexily? Seductive? “Do I need to do somethin’ to help with that?”

Caleb’s eyebrows furrow together, confused. He feels his concentration on the spell slipping, ebbing away with every step Fjord takes closer to him. Fjord speaks again, the same low-pitched tone to his voice, “ _ Focus _ , Caleb. Don’t let me distract you.”

It makes sense, then, what Fjord is doing. Casting the spell won’t always be easy. It’s not always going to be when someone is standing there, distracted and easy to dominate. Sometimes, they will be able to resist the spell, and they will be focused on distracting Caleb away from being able to cast it. He needs to stay focused, because if he’s not, it could be the matter of life or death in some situations.

At least, he tells himself this as Fjord finally gets close enough that their chests are nearly bumping together. He tells himself this as Fjord’s eyes cast down to Caleb’s lips, then back to his own gaze – a hidden heat behind his eyes that Caleb doesn’t understand.

Then Fjord is leaning in. Caleb’s heart is racing in his chest. Maybe he  _ had  _ actually been hitting on him before? Or.. was this just part of the way Fjord wanted to train him? Surely, Fjord didn’t actually  _ want  _ to kiss him. There was no way that Fjord could possibly be interested in Caleb.

Just as their lips are about to brush together, Caleb panics and forces his mind out in one final, last-ditch effort for the spell to take hold. Apparently, the force of his push is enough to break through Fjord’s barrier, because Caleb feels the spell take hold just as Fjord’s body locks in place before him. Both men’s eyes widen and Caleb stumbles a step back in surprise. 

He knows, deep down, that the force of the push hadn’t been enough to break through Fjord’s mind. Fjord had let his guard down. Why?

When Caleb turns his gaze back to Fjord, he drops the spell. Fjord clears his throat and rights himself, moving his eyes away from Caleb’s gaze. Caleb watches him for a moment, debates letting what just happened between them drop, but he can’t. He needs to know. “Wh – what was that? You let me cast the spell.”

Fjord chuckles slightly and Caleb watches as the other’s cheeks turn a darker shade of green. Was that.. a blush? Was Fjord.. blushing? What? 

“I, uhh.. didn’t really expect you to be holding onto the spell at that point, honestly,” Fjord answers as he reaches up to rub at the back of his neck, his eyes still not moving back to Caleb. He seemed.. almost embarrassed – his earlier confidence replaced with a sheepish slouch to his shoulders. 

“You..” Caleb starts, but pauses, not sure how to phrase his question. He takes a breath, pausing to collect his thoughts before asking. “You were going to.. kiss me?”

Fjord is quiet for a moment, the green on his cheeks spreading into the tips of his ears. Caleb, though confused, feels his heartbeat begin to pick up again. Could Fjord actually have wanted to - ?

“Yeah, I was,” Fjord answers finally, flicking his gaze to Caleb again before looking away. “I.. apologize if that make you uncomfortable.”

Caleb’s heart leaps into his throat and he has to swallow the sudden excitement that courses through his system. He feels his hands shake slightly, nervous because he hadn’t truly expected this. He wanted to meet Fjord halfway – to give him  _ something  _ back since it appeared that Fjord had.. genuinely.. wanted to kiss him.

“It.. doesn’t. Make me uncomfortable, that is.”

_ I wish you had,  _ sticks on his tongue. He can’t get himself to say it, but the implications are there. 

The words seem to drift in the air between them, but slowly, the meaning of them seems to dawn on Fjord. It starts with the lowering of his hand from his neck before he slowly moves his eyes back in Caleb’s direction. Caleb meets the half-orc’s gaze and he can feel that his face is hot, more than likely tomato-red with the blush that covers his cheeks. Fjord flashes a quick smile before he turns his body to face Caleb’s. Caleb watches Fjord’s gaze drop to his lips again and he swallows nervously before whispering, “You.. could. If you like.”

There’s no hesitation after that. With permission granted, Fjord leans forward, cupping Caleb’s cheek with the palm of his hand to guide their lips together. Fjord’s lips are surprisingly soft against Caleb’s own dry lips. Caleb can feel the beginnings of Fjord’s tusks poke against his bottom lip and something about that send a thrill through him. Caleb’s eyes flutter closed and he leans into the kiss, reaching up to cup Fjord’s cheek with his own bandaged hand. Fjord rubs his thumb lightly against Caleb’s cheek as they hold their lips together for the span of a full breath. On their exhale, Fjord pulls back slightly – just enough that his forehead rests against Caleb’s. Quietly, he whispers, “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that.”

Caleb wants to question. Wants to question  _ when,  _ and  _ why _ , and  _ can we please do it again.  _ But none of those words come to his lips. He doesn’t want to ruin the moment and doesn’t want to press for more. So instead, he whispers back, “Well, I am glad that you did.”

Fjord pulls back, his gaze finding Caleb’s again and holding it before he flashes another smile. A call from inside the inn pulls Fjord’s attention away and he sighs, taking a half step back and saying, “We should probably be getting back inside. Jester sounds like she’s about to have a fit.”

Caleb’s mind is reeling. As much as he didn’t want to ruin the moment, he also didn’t want it to  _ end.  _ He wanted to stay with Fjord a while longer, wanted to stretch this moment out as long as he could, but he knows that if they did, the moment  _ would  _ be ruined. So, instead, he simply nods and says, “Okay.”

Fjord turns and, with a playful wink in Caleb’s direction, begins walking back to the tavern. Caleb follows behind, a smile that he can no longer fight against plastered to his lips. They enter the inn a moment later to find an array of heart-themed pastries arranged on the table between their companions. They both move forward together – the secret of their shared kiss creating a bond between them that Caleb found he was more than ready to explore. But that was for a later date. For now, they were content.

For now, they would let things just  _ be. _

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated! Let me know what you thought!
> 
> If you’d like to stay updated on my works, feel free to follow me on Twitter! @daimonas


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